CS: The Truth
by CaptainSwanShipper
Summary: The continuation/sequel to 'First Kiss'. Originally posted on my tumblr on Feb. 5th, 2013.


**____****THE TRUTH**

Captain Hook determinedly strode across the deck of the Jolly Roger, checking the rigging and making sure nothing was missing. He was leaving tonight to return to the other world. He planned on returning to the piracy that had been his lifeblood in other realms. He missed the sea and the thrill that came from successfully liberating goods from their owners, then selling them on the black markets. If he felt that the thrill wouldn't match up to what had happened to him recently, with Cora and Rumpelstiltskin and this entirely new world, he didn't think about it too much.

"HOOK!" shouted a voice from the dock. The pirate shut his eyes against the thoughts and emotions that beat against the walls of his heart as he recognized the voice. Ruthlessly tamping them down, he turned to face the ramp leading up to his ship. He raised an eyebrow at the blonde woman stomping her way toward him, but said nothing and kept his face neutral.

"What are you doing?" she asked him as she came up onto the ship.

"What do you mean, lass?"

"Leroy said you'd been stockpiling food and other things for what looked like a long trip."

"Is that so?" he murmured, "As a matter of fact, I am going on a journey. I'm returning to the other realm."

Emma's eyes widened and she seemed to pale slightly. But perhaps that had only been a trick of the light. Then a furrow appeared between her brows. He hadn't seen that expression in some time…"Back to—Why?" she asked him.

Hook took in her confused expression, something similar to regret invading his chest. He turned his head from the woman in front of him and gazed out at the sea. "There's nothing for me here," he said, the lie easily forming on his tongue, "I'm a pirate, Swan. And I don't think your world can handle me."

Emma considered this. "You're probably right. But there are other options."

The pirate couldn't help but smile wickedly, as was his habit around her. "Do you want me to stay, love?" he purred.

But instead of rolling her eyes at the comment or giving him one of her signature "Nice try" looks, she instead averted her own gaze, supposedly glancing at something fascinating next to his feet. Then she returned her eyes back to his face, a wall up that suggested she was feeling something very deeply and didn't want someone to recognize it. He'd noticed it back when they'd been climbing the beanstalk to retrieve the compass that would return her home. He'd seen it multiple times since…but it still bothered him. "What you decide to do has nothing to do with me," she said.

"Are you sure of that?" he asked, taking a step toward her. She didn't back down. But then again, she never did. His face softened at the reminder as he looked down at her and waited for a response.

A flicker of…something shifted in the hazel depths of her eyes, but it was quickly extinguished. "I'm sure. I'm not your mother. You're a grown man who can make his own decisions. You can do whatever you want."

"Does that include pursuing Rumpelstiltskin?" he asked her, testing to see if that greenish flicker would return, "You ___are_ aware that he also returned to the other world. If I encounter him, there's no saying what will happen. "

"Whatever you want," she repeated in a no-nonsense tone, "As long as it doesn't endanger anyone else. Although I don't think you'll be seeing him. He'll be coming back for Belle." Hook didn't see that flicker again as she gave the statement.

Disappointed in her response—or lack thereof—the black-clad man nodded and walked over to the side of the ship, looking out at the ocean again. Normally, he would make sure not to turn his back on anyone, but he knew that Emma Swan was no real threat to him. At least, not physically. Unless she got it into her head to tie him to one of the posts on the dock to prevent him from leaving. He grinned again as memories of their early encounters snuck into his mind.

"Hook?" came a curious comment from the woman behind him. Was that also a note of…hesitation?

"Yes?" he asked as he turned his head so he could see her from his peripheral vision. He saw her begin to walk towards him and stiffened. But he didn't turn around to face her. It turned out he didn't need to, because she walked right up next to him and leaned forward to rest her arms on the side of the ship, looking out at the sea as he had. But she didn't look at him. He waited.

"Hook…what happened back in the forest?"

The pirate tensed even more. He carefully picked his next words, "Why do you want to know?"

Emma was silent for a few moments, but he noticed that her cheeks seemed to redden a bit. When she cleared her throat, he focused on her.

"My mother mentioned that…well…she told me that I didn't just black out in that clearing. She said I was actually…dead. But that you brought me back. Is that true?"

Hook didn't know exactly how to answer her. But he figured the truth would be best since she was currently staring at him. And she could always tell when he was lying. "Yes," he answered simply.

"…How?"

Now he didn't know what to say. Should he tell her what had happened? He didn't exactly know how she would react. But at the same time…he was leaving soon. What did he have to lose?

He made sure to keep his gaze away from her inquisitive face. If for no other reason than to brace himself for what he was about to announce…

"I kissed you."

Stunned silence met his pronouncement. He didn't dare look at her.

"I…I thought she was kidding," Emma answered. At this comment, the pirate swung his head around to look at her. She was staring at him with wide, incredulous eyes.

"You thought ___who_ was kidding?" he asked pointedly. There was only one woman who would know what had happened, and he had a hard time believing that she would reveal such a thing…

"My mother. She said she told you to kiss me because of true love's kiss. And it worked!?"

Hook returned his gaze to the sea. He didn't know how to respond to that. "I'm not sure, it could have simply been your magic."

"Well, either way, I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure that it was ___that_ which brought you back. I can't say I'm an expert when it comes to magic of any sort. I'm just a simple pirate, after all."

Silence reigned after this comment. Restless for some odd reason, Hook began walking around again, checking the ship again for his journey. Emma stayed in place. As he triple-checked the ropes on the mast, which he really didn't need to, she spoke again.

"Hook, what do you think of me?"

He froze. Had she really just asked that?

"What do you mean?" he responded cautiously. Then, he heard determined footsteps approaching him. Emma appeared next to him, a disgruntled look on her face that also told him she was having none of his evasion.

"What do you think of me?"

Hook felt like fidgeting at her intense stare. Instead, he swallowed the habitual flirtatious comment that had come to his tongue shortly after she'd asked the question. He eyed her carefully before responding.

"Maybe I should be asking you that question, Emma. Why do you feel the need to ask me that?"

Her eyes widened yet again at his use of her given name and she seemed to want to take a step back before catching herself. That furrow appeared again. It looked as if she was having trouble with her own words.

"I…" she looked up at him, then back at the floor, then back at him again. "I don't know."

Hook quirked an eyebrow at the comment, somewhat disappointed yet again. "Well, then, lass, I suppose this conversation is over." He turned, assuming she would leave, but he didn't take two steps before her hand grabbed his arm.

"Wait." The pirate turned enough to view her. He decided to let her off on a light note.

"Yes, darling?"

Emma pursed her lips, apparently deciding what her next move would be. He waited, examining her hand on his arm in the meantime. Suddenly, said hand moved to turn him fully, then she bunched his collar in her hands, pushed him against the mast which was now at his back, and kissed him fully on the mouth.

A wave of what he'd learned was magic spread outward from them. But he didn't pay much attention to it because EMMA. SWAN. WAS. KISSING. HIM. Something he had never thought would happen. Usually, he imagined that he would make the first move. But his was ___much_ better.

As her lips moved under his and her grip relaxed on his collar, he allowed himself to fully experience the moment, closing his eyes and leaning into it. But when she seemed to be moving away from him, he gently brought his right hand to the back of her head and pressed his lips more fervently to hers. The pirate carefully pressed the seam of her lips with his tongue and she instantly opened up to him, her hands falling to his chest. An accomplished kisser, he reverently savored her taste, a mix of chocolate and cinnamon. She must have had some hot chocolate recently with her mother or son…

Fully engaged, Killian brought the hand Emma had magically reattached to her hip, lightly resting it there as he continued kissing her. When he felt her retreat again, he let her go, removing his hand from the back of her head where it had tangled into her hair, but keeping the other hand lightly on her hip. She kept her hands on his chest, though they rested there so lightly he could barely feel them. Nonetheless, he had no doubt she could feel the pounding of his heart.

Breathing heavily, he took in her face. Emma's eyes glowed when she opened them and he guessed he must have the same expression on his face. Seeing it on hers, though, he felt an ache deep within him. It was only then that he removed his hand from it's location on her hip. As he did so, she also let her hands fall from his chest.

Hook cleared his throat, then looked off to the side, biting his lip, before he turned back to her. "Well."

"Yeah," she answered, examining his face.

"I should…I should go check on the cargo." He made as if to leave, but Emma didn't budge, preventing movement.

"Killian. Look at me," she demanded quietly. He didn't want to, for fear she would see exactly how he felt about her on his face. It would only make it harder for him to leave…but he couldn't resist. Especially since she'd used his true name. He trained his gaze on her face, not bothering to try and hide his feelings.

"I love you," Emma told him, enunciating each word, her heart in her eyes. The dark-haired man could tell there were no walls hiding the truth of her words.

Killian's expression softened, and he knew he couldn't hide the truth from her. He brushed his hand along her cheek, tucking a wayward blonde strand behind her ear, then lightly leaned his forehead against hers. His eyes looked straight into her soft hazel gaze as he said the words he knew would seal his fate.

"And I love you, my brave, beautiful Swan."


End file.
